The present invention relates to a garden edge spike configured to adjustably hold a strip, tube, rope or other items at various angles. In a preferred embodiment, the strip, tube or rope can be a lighting strip, tube or cable and the spike can hold the lighting strip, tube or rope at various angles. The present invention also relates to methods and kits for installing a lighting apparatus which involve at least one garden edge spike.
Up to now, lighting of lawns and gardens has typically been performed using a series of electric light bulbs in fixtures arranged at various points around the lawn or garden. One disadvantage of this method is the necessity to provide electrical underground wiring to supply electrical power to each light fixture. Such wiring requires that the lawn or garden be dug up, so that electrical wiring can be placed underground, preferably deep enough so as not to be cut by typical outdoor activities, such as gardening.
Alternatively, rope lighting products have been used to illuminate or accent lawns, gardens and other outdoor features (such as trees, gazebos, patios, decks, steps, paths, ponds, and pools). Currently, the following methods are used in the outdoor installation of rope lighting products: (i) wrapping such products around an object (e.g, a tree trunk or a deck's hand rails or posts); (ii) using lighting mounting clips which are attached to a mounting surface (e.g., wall, side of a deck); (iii) using mounting tracks; or (iv) simply laying the rope lighting products on the ground. These techniques are particularly limiting when attempting to install outdoor lighting in lawns, gardens, or pathways. By way of example, mounting tracks are limited by their pre-formed shape. Thus, if a person wishes to accent a sinewy pathway using a rope lighting product and mounting tracks, he/she would need to get their mounting tracks custom-made to match the outer contours of the sinewy pathway. Further, the person may be required to purchase a great length of mounting track to complete the installation project, and may find it frustrating feeding a great length of rope lighting product into a great length of mounting track. By way of another example, if the person with the same sinewy pathway decides to just lay a rope lighting product alongside the contours of the pathway, such product is highly prone to move from its intended position.